Re: Very OT: things that fly by

On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 10:53:32 +0100, Eddie wrote
(in article <gemini.k3qgt800006w70wsd.efl42@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>):

> peter@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Peter Ceresole) wrote:
> 
>> Michael H. Phillips <mhp@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> 
>>> The Viscount and Friend****p were just too civilised to be exciting.
>> 
>> Oh, I dunno. I once flew from Kolwezi to Kinshasa in a Friend****p. As a
>> rare treat I was sitting in the jump seat- the pilot was an ex-Belgian
Air
>> Force Thunderjet jockey. The trip was through a lovely lot of African
>> afternoon thunderstorms; he was looking at the convection cells on the
>> weather radar (there was nothing to see apart from shades of grey
outside)
>> and steering around them by altering the heading setting on the
autopilot.
>> He told me stories about doing these flights in DC6s, without radar.
>> Apparently, lightning paths diverge from the centre of the cell,
heading
>> downwards, so by looking at the discharges you could steer away from
the
>> cells. Really...
> 
> Mmm- flying in Africa is still a bit of an adventure. Mostly done at
night I
> seem to remember, limited radio aids, no radar coverage except close to
the
> air****t, and even now communications that rely on HF radio (Short wave
to
> you and me). Sometimes it used to take 20 mins to get your position
re****t
> through, by which time you had got to the next waypoint.
> 
> In fact there was a DIY traffic system so that traffic on conflicting
> airways decide which one will descend 500 ft and the other climb 500 ft
just
> to be sure! Certainly kept you awake at night monitoring all the
traffic.
> 
> It was a standing joke that you could have either the NDB approach
beacon
> switched on or the approach lights, but not both - assuming one of the
> locals hadn't dug up the cables to said equipment and sold the copper!
> 
> Not to mention the fun and games crossing the ITZ where all the Cbs are
> concentrated. 50 miles off track to avoid these towering monsters, where
the
> tops can rise to 50,000ft, was not unusual.
> 
> Thank god for weather radar, which was also invaluable for navigation,
> especially when near the coast.
> 
> I was astounded to land in Lagos on one occasion, very early in the
morning,
> to find queues of locals waiting to cross the runway on their way to
work!
> 
> Well I could rabbit on, but this has been an interesting topic!

Bit of mildly relevant comment: Read a book years ago by a chap recreating

the first UK/Aussie commercial flight(s) by following the original route
as 
closely as he could. Think it was called 'Beyond the Blue Horizon'. 
Fascinating as I remember. Must try and track it down again.

Cheers ... Mark